Students get hands on experience with Italian Rugby League Team

The Italian Rugby League team are to take time out of their busy World Cup 2013 training schedule to visit the University of Bradford for some massage.

Students from the University’s School of Health Studies will meet the rugby players to deliver soft tissue massage, this Friday (8 November).

Like all sports teams, the professional rugby players require physiotherapy alongside their training. The opportunity for them to receive soft tissue massage will not only benefit the players before their next match, against Tonga on Sunday 10 November, but also those physiotherapy students from the University. These students will have a unique chance to provide massage and assessment to professional sportsmen whilst studying.

Currently the University of Bradford is ranked seventh in the UK for Physiotherapy by the Complete University Guide, aided by the £10m award winning School of Health Studies’ building. This has both a movement laboratory and physiotherapy practice suites that the 15 players and Head Coach will see during their visit.

Lecturer in Physiotherapy and Lead for the new Sport Rehabilitation BSc, Claire Graham, is supervising the students treating the athletes. She said: “It will be an absolute pleasure working with the Italian Rugby League team and deliver physiotherapy as part of our students’ training. Our students are delighted to work alongside World Cup level athletes – something that they usually wouldn’t get the opportunity to do until at least five years after qualifying. Having this hands-on experience will set them apart in the field when they graduate and contribute massively to their graduate employability.”

The players have been training in the region while taking part in their World Cup debut, where their performance has so far exceeded expectations.